Starting device for internalcombustion engines



July 24 1951 J, R ET A 2,56%

' STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed ma 29, 1948 INVENTOR! 62,400 J Q9) 0445 0941/77 5) W 1 WW A7 7' @P/Vi' 719 Patented July 24, 1951 STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES' Claud J. Dry and Dale p. ,oi tt, Athens,- o 'i Application May 29, 1948,"Serial No. 30,095

More particularly, it relates to a manually operable starting device for starting a small internal combustion motor.

Motors such as used on motor scooters and the This invention relates to a starting device. is :1

like present a problem in design and operation of s:

a starting mechanism. Thus, for reasons of economy in manufacture, simplicity of design and weight considerations, an electrical starting system such as used in a passenger automobile is a ratchet, light gears, etc., to provide manual means of starting such a motor. Such starters are, however, disadvantageous and, in fact, limit the size of the motor that can be used in a small, lightweight vehicle such as a motor scooter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of manually operable starting device for an internal combustion engme.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a starting device for a small, lightweight internal combustion engine which is simple in design and light in weight, yet is eifective to impart a high starting speed to a motor shaft.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a starting device for small internal combustion engines which is manually operable and which is also safe to operate.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

One form which the invention may assumeis exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

The figure is a view in side elevation of the starting device of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, secured to the crank shaft I of a motor 2 is a pinion 3 which is rotated by a starting device generally designated as 4. A foot or hand lever having at its free end a convenient handle or foot treadle H is provided, and the other end of the lever is rigidly secured to another lever I2 pivoted at l3 to the framework I4 of a vehicle. A coil spring I5 secured at It to the framework of the vehicle and at I! to the lever holds the latter in rearward position as shown. A rack I8 having rack The lever 12 is providedwith a're'arwardlyextending finger 21,

which overlies-"andabuts'the upper surface of the free linkage'25i for a purpose described hereinafter. The other end of the rack I8 is secured to a slide 28 which- 1s slidably received in a guide :29 pivotally d' 'at 30 to the framework of the vehicles In operation,-thefoot treadle or handle H is pushed forwardly,' resulting'in pivoting the lever 10 impracticable. Heretofore, it has been the prac- L tice to provide a mechanical starter employing l2 in a clockwise direction as viewed inthe figure.

The rack l8 is -thus- 'moved downwardly into meshing relationship with the pinion 3 and is also pulled forwardly, thus causing the pinion to rotate and start the motor. The slide 28 and guide 29 serve to guide the rack in its forward movement and to allow pivotal movement of the same into and out of engagement with the pinion 3. At the end of the forward stroke, the foot treadle or handle II is released and the coil spring 15 returns the lever to its original rest position. The finger 21 acting upon the upper surface of the free linkage 25 serves to pivot the rack upwardly and thus to clear the pinion 3 on the return stroke.

It will be seen that there is thus provided a starting device which is of simple design yet is effective in use and which provides several advantages. Thus, the direction of rotation of the motor shaft is the same as the direction of force applied to the foot treadle or handle. Also, the finger 21 and free linkage 25 insure that the rack meshes with the pinion 3 on the down stroke and clears the pinion on the return stroke. The starting device thus described has been successfully used in starting relatively large motors installed on motor scooters and the like.

While we have shown the preferred form of our invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cranking device of the character described comprising a crankshaft having a pinion fixed thereto, a rack supported for pivotal and longitudinal movement and adapted when in one pivotal position to mesh with said pinion, a lever supported for pivotal movement, and a link pivotally connected to said lever and rack, said link and lever being operable to draw said rack across said pinion and thereby rotate the same.

2. The device of claim 1, including resilient ineans for holding said lever in a predetermined pivotal position.

3. A cranking device of the character described comprising a crankshaft having a pinion fixed thereto, a rack, a .pivotally supported guide for said rack, said guide supportin said rack for pivotal and sliding movement, a lever supported for pivotal movement, resilient means holding said lever in a predetermined pivotal position, and a link between said rack and lever, said link being pivotally connected to said rack and to said lever.

4. The device of claim 3, including: a finger extending outwardly from the end of said lever which is connected to said -link --a-ifd overlying said link so as to pivot said rack out of engagement with said pinion upon the return stroke thereof.

5. A starting device for an internal combustion engine comprising a rack -=ha-ving teeth adapted to mesh with the \teeth *of a inionfixed to "the crankshaft f a motor, a pivotally supported ing said lever in predetermined pivot-a1 ;-position, a link pivotally connected -to'said-levier-and rack,

and a finger extending =outwardly fromandfixed to said lever so #as to bear upon said :link :and thereby normally lift said c ack ;free from its matingpinion.

ported for pivotal and longitudinal movement and capable of engaging said pinion when in one pivotal position, a lever, a link pivotally connected *to adjacent ends of said rack and lever, a :finger extending outwardly from said lever and overlying said link so as normally to urge said rack out of engagement with said pinion, and resilient means normally holding said lever in rearward, disengaged position.

CLAIJD :J. DRY.

DALE C. ORCUTYIX,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are "of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name .Date

=1-,248;6FZ8 Landsiedel .-Dec. 4, 1917 1,879,130 Diago Sept. 27, 1932 

